This is the first event organised by the UCC/Teagasc Strategic Alliance to promote its work and to enable industry representatives to provide their perspective on the priority research programme activities for the Alliance over the coming years.
The UCC/Teagasc Strategic Alliance in Food Research brings together the resources of the two largest State providers of food R&D in a new and managed alliance, with the aim of establishing a joint food research programme.
Speaking at the open day, Director of Teagasc, Professor Gerry Boyle said: “This joint initiative shows how UCC and Teagasc are working to support innovation and development in our food industry and helping to deliver on the ambitious growth targets set in Food Harvest 2020. The Alliance provides a single point of contact for industry in accessing the combined resources of UCC and Teagasc and will create a “Food Hub”, which will further mark Ireland as a world centre for fundamental and applied food research focused on excellence, innovation, development of human capital and technology transfer.”
Professor Patrick Fitzpatrick, Head of the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science (SEFS) at UCC said “The relevance of the work of the Alliance to the needs of the food industry is recognised as being of paramount importance. The Alliance is committed to engaging fully with the national and international food sector in the development of its research programme. It will develop linkages in technology transfer to the food industry and encourage and support the development of commercial outputs through intellectual property rights, licensing, and the establishment of spin-out companies.”
The Food Forum and Open Day in Moorepark provides an opportunity for food companies to become more familiar with the collaborative research work already completed, or underway in Teagasc and UCC and to hear about opportunities for industry arising from the creation of the Alliance and its plans for the future.
UCC and Teagasc look forward to the Alliance playing a key role in ensuring that our national and international food companies have easy access to excellent scientific capability, facilities and critical mass that will support the delivery of products, processes and jobs for the Irish economy.
Picture L-R: Dr Seán Brady, Chairman, Food Harvest 2020 Group, Professor Patrick Fitzpatrick, Head of the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science, UCC, Professor Michael Dowling, Chairman, UCC/Teagasc Strategic Alliance Steering Group & Professor Gerry Boyle, Teagasc Director.
